TMDA annual conference keeps relationships, regulations at forefront

By Dave McMahon

This article originally appeared in the March issue of Powersports Business.

The Texas Motorcycle Dealers Association Annual Conference took place Jan. 11-12 in Austin, held at a new meeting location at Lakeway Resort and Spa alongside Lake Travis in the Hill Country.

It was a bit of a homecoming for me, as Tim McKercher and the Sea-Doo marketing and media crew hosted a Spark press ride based out of the same hotel many moons ago. This time, though, I got a nickel (half-dollar?) tour of Austin on the way out when my friend Mark Sheffield offered to play the role of chauffeur. 

We didn’t get into too much trouble on the way, but Sheffield did provide an awfully interesting historic tour of old Austin powersports dealerships. The tomfoolery and tales coming out of those stores reached a pinnacle when we pulled over for a quick snapshot of the former Woods Fun Center building on Lamar.

It made complete sense that upon arrival, Mark Woods — then owner of Woods Fun Center, and current owner of Woods Cycle Country — offered to share an elevator ride. When I was introduced to his wife, kids, and grandkids, I knew I was in the right family reunion spot at the TMDA meeting.

The event

Sunday night kicked off with a networking reception that featured the impressive Gigi Worth on guitar, followed by an all-attendees dinner in the adjacent restaurant at the Lakeway Resort. Pleasantries were also found being exchanged at a bonfire on a chilly Texas evening.

With the hotel bar’s existence confirmed, it was off to bed with a 7:00 a.m. breakfast kickoff on Monday and the first educational session greeting sunrise at 7:45. Early to rise, indeed!

Eight hours later, after an information-packed day full of important sessions, attendees were on their way home with heaps of ideas for success.

“I heard a lot of positive feedback overall,” says Trey Sralla, president of the TMDA, shaking off a broken elbow that had occurred mere days before kickoff. “Everybody liked the new location, the schedule. The speakers really did a nice job with their information and made sure it was time well spent for those who attended. We had a lot of great feedback on the speakers.”

The turnout of dealers was certainly the largest since COVID times. Some made their debut appearance at the TMDA Annual Conference and found it beneficial.

“I had two dealers tell me they had never been, and that they won’t miss another one.” Trey Sralla

Before the 2027 meeting, likely returning to the same location, Sralla and the TMDA board will continue to do work that goes largely unnoticed until governmental rules and regulations begin to infringe on dealership owners.

“The board will be working on initiatives where we lobby various state agencies in a non-legislative session year,” Sralla says, pointing out a handful of topics that will be covered in various meetings and phone calls.

In another words, doing more of what the TMDA always does, advocate throughout the year — and most of the time not under the bright lights — on behalf of Texas powersports dealerships.

Sponsor support

Vendors play an important role at the conference, providing both financial support and insight into more effective and efficient dealership operations.

Frank Fulco, president at longtime TMDA sponsor Torque Group, made his journey to the TMDA Annual Conference for the first time.

“Torque Group believes it is vital to support the conference because it keeps us in tune with what Texas dealers want and need out of their industry partners,” Fulco says. “Texas dealers are currently capitalizing on their partnership with Torque Group by providing us the opportunity to review with them their current programs and how we can improve their profitability.”

Younger crowd’s reaction

I tracked down a handful of dealers to gauge their interest in the conference. It was 26-year-old Sean Tracy whom I spied first. His parents, Scott and Shannon, own UVC Powersports Tractors and Outdoors in Alvin. Assistant GM Sean also works alongside his older brother Ryan to keep it a family affair. They only sell four-wheel powersports units, and are known worldwide for their Kawasaki Mule sales expertise that has put them No. 1 in the nation for Kawasaki side-by-side sales at various points in their career.

“Me? I’ve been there 26 years, if you can believe that. I’m the youngest, doing finance, sales and marketing. I’ve been working in the shop since I could walk.” — Sean Tracy.

It’s always great to see eager and interested younger folks attend the TMDA event.

“It’s the first TMDA meeting I’ve been to,” he shares. “It’s been a great use of time and I’m learning a lot. Great to be able to interact with your peers in the industry. It’s interesting listening to the speakers and the takeaways they provide.”

Meanwhile, Eastside Powersports in Baytown had a crowd of four from the shop: Owner/GM Pokey Oler was joined by Sam Archer, who leads F&I and marketing, sales manager Mike Joseph, and Meagan Oler from parts and accessories.

Pokey was also a TMDA meeting newbie, having joined the association only a few months prior. Eastside also has family ties, but with a vastly different tale. Pokey’s dad, Ralph, was part of the original ownership group that opened the Honda shop 25 years ago. Pokey was off owning two successful filtration businesses, which he still has today. 

“It was originally started by my dad and Gene Anderson, who went on to start Gene’s Polaris, and a guy named Mike Chatham,” Pokey says. “My dad ended up running it. He beat cancer once, and now he’s terminally ill with lung cancer that was diagnosed about a year ago. So I told him, ‘I’ll take it. I never worked a day at the dealership. The filtration business was my expertise. I know nothing about powersports, which is why I’m here.”

“We wanted to join the TMDA and come here because we knew it was a great opportunity to learn. Most of the people at the dealership and myself are inexperienced and we have to find the resources and learn. We think it was a very successful meeting. We made some great contacts and have some great information to work with.”